There is no big surprise that iPhone X uses Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X16 modem and is capable of Gigabit LTE speed, but since Intel version doesn’t support this speed, both phones will be capped at the lower speed.

We have seen this happen since the first time Intel made it to the iPhone, as clearly Intel is still playing catch up. Intel promised to have the XMM 7560 that supports Gigabit LTE next year, so the iPhone will have it in 2018, at the earliest. Apple actually even confirmed it was throttling the modem in the iPhone 7 last year to one of its pet publications, Appleinsider.

In the meantime, the throttled modem will hit customers all over the world as there are at least 34 carriers in 14 countries trialing Gigabit LTE and some of these networks will go live soon. Some of them have actually been live for a while. This is not some distant future, as USA carriers have Gigabit LTE trials in some markets.

The iPhone X with Qualcomm, which is mainly the phones that will be sold by Verizon will feature the Qualcomm MDM9655Snapdragon X16 LTE modem and PMD9655 PMIC.

Another respectable publication TechInsights found an Intel XMM7480 (PMB9948) in the A1901 iPhone X model. This is what Europeans get and most of the US market will get too.

Intel still has a lot of catching up to do, as there is a Snapdragon X20 modem capable of 1.2 Gbps that will likely find its place in the Snapdragon 845, the new SoC that will dominate high end phones in 2018. The new SoC is expected in Samsung Galaxy S9 and the rest of the high end 2018 line up.

Intel’s XMM7560 will do Gigabit LTE while there is a big chance that Qualcomm might release an even faster modem in the course of 2018. Intel told Fudzilla that the XMM7560 comes in 2018.

The faster than 1.2Gbps modem from Qualcomm was confirmed to Fudzilla by none other than Qualcomm’s QCT president, Cristiano Amon, and Alex Katouzian the head of mobile stuff including modem at Qualcomm.

So to put things in perspective, every Samsung Galaxy S8, Note 8, every One Plus 5, 5T, or any Snapdragon 835 based phone will have a faster modem compared to the iPhone X.

Showing the mood of the US telcos, Verizon sent a letter and white paper to the FCC, demanding that the regulator step in to stop States regulating against telco’s snooping on citizens.

"The FCC has ample authority to pre-empt state efforts to protect consumer privacy, and should act to prevent states from doing so. Allowing every State and locality to chart its own course for regulating broadband is a recipe for disaster. It would impose localized and likely inconsistent burdens on an inherently interstate service, would drive up costs, and would frustrate federal efforts to encourage investment and deployment by restoring the free market that long characterized internet access service," the letter demanded.

But US states are only looking to pass privacy laws because Verizon convinced its FCC puppet to kill off the relatively modest rules which were in existence. ISPs like Verizon often moan about protecting "states rights" against the over-reaching effect of government regulation.

Now it seems that the States want to bring in laws which protect consumers the ISPs start throwing their toys out of the pram and want their puppet to intervene.

There is another issue too. Verizon is worried that when the FCC votes to kill net neutrality rules later this year, states will similarly try to pass their own rules protecting consumers.

"States and localities have given strong indications that they are prepared to take a similar approach to net neutrality laws if they are dissatisfied with the result of the Restoring Internet Freedom proceeding", complains Verizon, again ignoring that its own lawsuits are the reason that's happening.

The Internet of Things (IOT) platform market is expected to grow 35 percent annually to $1.16 billion by 2020, according to Verizon’s State of the Market: Internet of Things 2017 report.

The report finds that the biggest growth will be in business-to-business applications which can generate nearly 70 percent of potential value enabled by IoT.

More than 73 percent of executives either researching or currently deploying IoT. Manufacturing, transportation and utilities make up the largest percent of investments, while insurance and consumers represent the fastest areas of spending growth.

Currently there are 8.4 billion connected “things” in use in 2017, up 31 percent from 2016, and network technology, cost reductions and regulatory pressures driving adoption, business leaders are not only paying attention, they’re getting in the game the report said.

While the opportunity for revenue growth is the biggest factor driving IoT adoption, regulatory compliance remains a driving factor behind enterprise IoT implementation. Standards, security, interoperability and cost make up over 50 percent of executive concerns around IoT. These uncertainties are holding businesses back from full IoT deployment, with many still in proof-of-concept or pilot phase.

Early adopters seem focused on proving out simple use cases to track data and send status alerts, just starting to realize the full value IoT has to offer in driving growth and efficiencies across business, the report said.

The report’s author Mark Bartolomeo, VP of IoT Connected Solutions at Verizon said: “Over the past year, industry innovators in energy, healthcare, construction, government, agtech and beyond have not only piloted, but in many cases, deployed IoT technology to improve business efficiencies, track and manage assets to drive value to the bottom line. In 2017, advancements in technology and standards, coupled with changing consumer behaviours and cost reductions, have made IoT enterprise-grade, and it’s just the tip of the iceberg in driving economic value across the board.”

Within days of Congress repealing online privacy protections, Verizon is installing software on customers’ devices to track what apps customers have downloaded.

Verizon is using this spyware to serve up ads based on which porn your browse and whatever else you have used the internet for.

Dubbed “AppFlash Verizon will be rolling out to their subscribers’ Android devices “in the coming weeks”.

According to Verizon, the app will collect information about your device and your use of the AppFlash services.

“This information includes your mobile number, device identifiers, device type and operating system, and information about the AppFlash features and services you use and your interactions with them. We also access information about the list of apps you have on your device.”

Verizon will also track where you go and monitor your every move and any contact information you store on your device.

“AppFlash information may be shared within the Verizon family of companies, including companies like AOL who may use it to help provide more relevant advertising within the AppFlash experiences and in other places, including non-Verizon sites, services and devices.”

So it looks like less than 48 hours after the US government sold your personal data to companies like Comcast and AT&T Verizon has started installing spyware into your mobile to make money off your personal data.

What is surprising is the overt nature of the move. It is not as if they are even trying to pretend that it is somehow good for customers, it is just a straight-out data theft which has been made legal by the Republicans.

Of course, the good thing about the app is that it creates a brilliant attack vector for hackers and government spooks. It is unlikely to be the most secure thing in the software mountain and given all the data it is collecting it is an obvious target.

When Verizon announced that it wanted to buy Yahoo back in July 2016 for a large price of $4.83 billion, no one expected the delays that would result from the latter’s two undisclosed data breaches and consumer backlash for building tools that help the government spy on civilian emails.

Then in January, we wrote that the deal was untimely delayed following investigation from the SEC on why it took so long for Yahoo to report the information breaches, though the two companies said they were working “expeditiously” to close the transaction by the end of the second quarter.

In what now appears to be a discount on damaged goods, Verizon and Yahoo have signed an agreement that drops the original $4.83 billion acquisition price by $350 million. Yahoo has also agreed to pay half the negotiating costs for any government-related investigations not originating from the SEC, along with any lawsuits related to the data breaches. Any shareholder lawsuits are now said to be Yahoo’s responsibility.

The two companies have also agreed to share certain legal and regulatory liabilities arising from the Yahoo data breaches in 2013 and 2014. Interestingly, however, they will not be taken into account in determining whether a “Business Material Adverse Effect” had occurred or whether certain closing conditions have been satisfied.

"It is an important step to unlock shareholder value for Yahoo, and we can now move forward with confidence and certainty," Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer said in a statement.

The acquisition is a way for Verizon to boost its digital advertising influence as it readies to compete with advertising giants Google and Facebook. The telecom company purchased AOL for $4.4 billion in 2015, which is currently undergoing its own redevelopment strategy for growing its mobile and video businesses. Meanwhile, Yahoo’s current operating business reaches an audience of more than a billion users, including more than 600 million mobile users.

While Verizon and Yahoo continue finalizing negotiations of the merger, AOL and Yahoo have been closely working to discuss integration strategies and determine the appropriate leadership positions for several key executives. The final consolidation of Verizon, Yahoo and AOL is expected to create one of the largest global consumer brands and will ensure a consistent cross-company experience for users of each brand’s existing digital services.

Earlier in July, Verizon announced that it wanted to buy Yahoo and that would close by the first quarter of 2017. Now, reports are saying that the deal is taking a bit longer than expected and will close by the second quarter of the year.

To date, the company has not offered any official explanation for the delay other than that it is working “expeditiously” to close the transaction. While the proposed deal was expected to be a $4.8 billion merger, Verizon allegedly asked Yahoo for a $1 billion discount after a previously undisclosed breach was revealed in August involving the sale of 200 million user accounts on dark web markets. A second breach was then revealed in September, alleging that information on 500 million user accounts was compromised in late 2014, though it is unclear what consequences this will have on the proposed merger.

Now, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is investigating why it took Yahoo so long to report the hacks, adding some extra pressure to the regulatory closing process. The commission requested documents from Yahoo in December to see whether it could have reported the hacks sooner. Of course, many investors are not too thrilled about a disclosure delay that took nearly two years.

“The key will be what was actually disclosed by Yahoo before signing,” Frank Aquila, legendary M&A lawyer and partner at Sullivan & Cromwell, told TechCrunch. “No one should be surprised that Verizon wants a significant reduction.”

For now, Yahoo has released its Q4 earnings results, which show revenues of $1.47 billion versus $1.27 billion from the previous year. The number of display ads sold increased four percent, while price-per-click on search ads increased by 18 percent. At the same time, the employee workforce dropped by about 18 percent to 8,500 over the past year.

CEO Marissa Mayer has clarified that the company’s commitment to the security of its users remains “unwavering.” She also added that the company’s cost structure is currently the lowest in a decade. "The opportunities ahead with Verizon look bright," she said in a statement.

A few weeks ago, Verizon and AT&T came under fire by the FCC for violating principles of net neutrality through the use of “zero-rating” data promotions.

Now, the two companies have given somewhat calculating and defensive statements about how the practice does not interfere with competition laws or existing congressional precedents.

Zero-rating is the practice of not charging customers for data from specific applications while using limited or metered plans. In this method of “paid prioritization,” any content consumed through apps that are accessed through a wireless provider’s own app store are usually offered free of charge, without the same bill shock associated with going over a monthly data plan limit.

In November, the FCC told AT&T that it had serious concerns about the company’s use of zero-rating for its new DirecTV Now IPTV streaming service. The satellite alternative offers over 100 channels for just $35 per month and relies on a downloadable app (DirecTV Now) that can be found on many mobile devices, set-top boxes or Smart TV app stores to access content. Moreover, the app happens to be zero-rated, allowing mobile users to stream unlimited amounts of data from TV channels without having it count against their data caps.

AT&T responded by saying that the data exemption benefits consumers, while noting that the FCC currently has no “hard-and-fast rules” in place condoning the practice.

The FCC then sent a pair of letters at the beginning of December warning that zero-rating practices “inhibit competition, harm consumers, and interfere with the ‘virtuous cycle’ needed to assure the continuing benefits of the Open Internet.” The agency argued that the practice is simply too expensive for rivals that are not affiliated with AT&T or Verizon to create similar sponsored data programs.

One of the letters had a particularly striking example of how unaffiliated mobile video providers end up footing ridiculously large fees for customers who don’t even stream all too often. One paragraph suggested the following example:

“An unaffiliated mobile video service provider would have to pay AT&T $16 a month to offer zero-rated service to a customer who uses just 10 minutes of LTE video per day, increasing to $47 for a customer using 30 minutes per day. These costs alone would represent 46 percent to 134 percent of DIRECTV Now's $35 retail price. By contrast, AT&T incurs no comparable cost to offer its own DIRECTV Now service on a zero-rated basis.”

The agency gave AT&T and Verizon until December 15th to respond to its concerns over zero-rating and net neutrality practices, to which AT&T responded that ending its sponsored data program would “weaken DirecTV Now’s potential to disrupt the cable-dominated pay-TV marketplace.” Verizon, on the other hand, responded that its own FreeBee Data 360 service is simply following precedent of “well-established telecommunication and competition laws” and is in no way harming consumers or competition.

The FCC’s objections and the following corporate responses come during a time when the agency is preparing for several key leadership changes. A few days ago, FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler announced his resignation in advance of the incoming presidential administration, while Democrat-appointed commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel’s term ends on December 31st. For the next few weeks, Republican commissioner Ajit Pai is expected to be the named interim chairman following Wheeler’s departure and has also been considered a nominee for the position.

Joan March, AT&T’s Senior VP of Federal Regulatory, has also claimed that the FCC’s Wireless Telecommunications bureau “may not take unilateral action against Data Free TV because doing so would contradict existing Commission precedent” given the impending change in presidential administration.

Samsung has been slowly receiving any remaining recalled Galaxy Note 7 units over the past week since it issued an expanded voluntary recall statement on its support website, as we reported.

While the company wants owners of both original and replacement devices to hand them in for another Samsung phone or refund, last week it took matters a step further by allowing wireless carriers to "brick" every Galaxy Note 7 in the US using a software update that will stop the phones from charging or working as mobile devices.

The "update" is expected to be released by Samsung next Monday on December 19th but will be rolled out by Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile and Sprint on different dates in order to give customers a means of communication over the holidays.

Verizon will release "update" after all

Verizon initially said it would not be taking part in the software update, citing safety concerns while customers are still switching to replacement devices. “We do not want to make it impossible to contact family, first responders or medical professionals in an emergency situation,” the company said in a statement. The company then changed its decision on Thursday, but will only release the update after the holiday season.

T-Mobile will be the first to release the software "brick" on December 27th, followed by AT&T and Verizon on January 5th, and Sprint on January 8th. According to this schedule, no one traveling to CES during the first week of January should still be carrying a Galaxy Note 7, as the device is now banned on all US flights and is banned from any air transportation in the country.

Since early November, Samsung had already received 85 percent of its Galaxy Note 7 devices through its voluntary recall program and has now recovered 93 percent of them since last week. Unless the statistics are incorrect, that should leave less than seven percent of devices still out in the wild, though they can only be used for parts, as the batteries will be rendered inoperable, or "bricked", following the software rollout.

Apple has solved the performance gap between the Intel and Qualcomm modems on the iPhone 7 by disabling some of the Qualcomm X12 modem features so that it performs similarly to the Intel version.

Verizon users get an iPhone 7 with Qualcomm’s latest X12 modem -- capable of downloading data at up to 600 megabits per second. AT&T customers get a handset with an Intel modem that tops out at 450 megabits per second.

But those using their iPhone 7s on Verizon Communications are finding that they are getting similar download speeds than AT&T when they are supposed to be much faster. The Verizon version of the iPhone has Qualcomm chips while the AT&T version has the Intel flavour.

Researchers at Twin Prime and Cellular Insights think that it might be because the iPhone 7’s Qualcomm chip has not been configured to take advantage of all of Verizon’s network capabilities.

Gabriel Tavridis, head of product at Twin Prime said that while he didn’t think Apple was throttling on the Verizon iPhone, but it could have chosen to not enable certain features of the network chip.

Apple might be doing this to make sure that there is a uniform iPhone experience so that one of its suppliers does not get a better reputation than the other. But the move could backfire if customers realize their device isn’t performing to its full potential, or that it’s less capable than other handsets, analysts said.

Of course, Apple’s Verizon users are never going to find that out, unless they happen to read Fudzilla as we have been warning about he performance differences between the Qualcomm and Intel Modem for ages. Even if they did read it most Apple fanboys are never going to believe the truth over what the Tame Apple Press tells them. The Tame Apple Press is hardly mentioning this story - instead it is trying to do its best to give reasons for Apple to act the way it has.

“In addition to creating a unified iPhone 7 user experience, levelling the playing field would also keep wireless carriers happy,” boasted one magazine.

All this explains why Qualcomm CEO Steven Mollenkopf had a recent moan at companies that "de-feature or go with a less-advanced modem" who may be left behind as the networks offer faster data speeds. He did not say who he was referring to but it is clear now that he was referring to Apple.

However, it is more Apple pitting Chipzilla against Qualcomm. Apple wants Qualcomm to reduce its price so that it can increase its margins as demand for its cash cow start to dry up.

Qualcomm is rather miffed because it makes its modem products look as “good as” Intel’s when that is far from the case. What really has happened is that Apple has deliberately sacrificed performance in a bid to get cheaper components. Fortunately most Apple fanboys are too stupid to notice any difference in download speed.

On Thursday, AOL said it will be laying off five percent of its staff with nearly 500 employees expected to lose their jobs as part of a regrowth strategy for its mobile and video businesses.

Due to AOL’s deals over the past year, the company has decided there are a number of areas that need consolidating in order to “improve operations and limit the amount of hand-offs in our business processes”. According to CEO Tim Armstrong, most cuts will be focused in the company’s corporate units while resources are shifted towards mobile, video and data-related products.

Last October, the company added 1,500 jobs after it acquired Millenial Media for $238 million in a deal to expand its mobile advertising presence. The company is currently split into two major segments consisting of media and platforms. Major news brands such as HuffingtonPost and TechCrunch are included under media while its advertising efforts are part of the platforms group.

“The layoffs are related to a 2017 strategy where we will add to our business,” he said. “These are super-targeted by area, and we will be re-growing, especially in video and mobile.”

Last May, Verizon agreed to purchase AOL for $4.4 billion, and later in July agreed to purchase Yahoo’s operating business for $4.83 billion with a goal of merging the two acquisitions into a single company that can compete with other digital media brands.

While Verizon and Yahoo continue discussions, AOL and Yahoo are expected to discuss integration strategies and determine leadership positions for several executives.

“Our planning process was built around [our] strategy and around the best way to operate that strategy,” said Armstrong in a memo to AOL staff. “Each area within the company was reviewed through the lens of our strategy and while we will be reducing some areas for 2017, other areas will add headcount and resources.”